24 Amendments of Anders VISTISEN related to 2018/2160(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
- having regard to the 2018 NATO Summit Declaration,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)
Citation 5 b (new)
- having regard to NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue and ongoing crisis management and cooperative security efforts in the region,
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Arab uprisings that affected the MENA region in 2011 constituted a moment of mass upheavals against authoritarian regimes while at the same time they were by no means unified or synonymous and had arisen under different circumstances; whereas a large segment of the protesters was composed of young women and men aspiring to a better and more inclusive future while also seeking different types of reforms in the various countries; whereas the overthrow of most of the regimes and the introduction of liberal reforms gave rise to great hope and expectations;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas various cases of democratization in the Middle East in recent years have resulted in devastating consequences for the region which have included militant Islamist groups taking power, civil war and in some cases, state failure; the respective cases of Algeria, Libya, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza Strip remain deeply unstable and undemocratic;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, eight years after the Arab Spring and political developments which have led countries in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions to follow many diverse evolutionary paths in terms of politics and stability, it ismany states remain in a state of perpetual political and economic turmoil, despite this it is still essential to assess how to respond to the legitimate democratic aspirations in the region; whereas it is important to take stock of the efforts and policy stance adopted by the EU and Member States in response to the Arab Spring and to assess itsdetermine a clear and responsible objective towards engagement with the MENA region and to assess their collective capacity for policy delivery; whereas it is essential to reassesslign the policy framework of the EU towards Southern Neighbourhood countries and its future objectives to better reflect the will of Member States and a series of clear and attainable objectives in the MENA region that reflect the realities on the ground;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the capacity of Member States to exert a positive influence in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions is very unequal and has often been marred by fragmentation; whereas individual Member States’ action in the region needs to be in synergy with the EU’s objectives; whereas the EU needs to increase its political leveragethe EU's efforts need to be carried out in synergy with individual Member States’ action in the region; whereas the EU needs to increase its political, economic and security interests are maintained; whereas long- term political and economic stability in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions is of fundamental strategic importance to the EU and Member States, and as such requires a longer-term approach as regards the policy framework and its objectives;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU should play a central role in promoting conflict resolution and both democratic and economic governance in the Maghreb and Mashreq regionand Member States who maintain strong political, historical, economic and cultural ties with the region may possibly play a bigger role in promoting conflict resolution and both democratic and economic governance in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions in cooperation with the United States and Canada with the objective of ensuring stable, moderate, partner nations capable of an uncompromised balance between executive, legislative and judicial authorities;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that, eight years after the upheavalprotests, most of the expectations have still not been met; condemns the persistent and continuing violations of human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in several cases as well as terrorism against security forces and innocent civilians in certain instances; is worried about the socio- economic situation in the region, which continues to be dire and, in particular, about the high levels of youth unemployment and social exclusion, which cause disillusionment and disenfranchisement on a large scale often leading to mass migration movements, radicalisation and instability which results in devastating political, economic and social consequences for the EU and Member States;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Notes with concern that the region remains home to terrorist organisations such as ISIS and al-Qai'da, which exploited and exacerbated the Arab Spring, resulting in their ability to thrive on the instability and export of violent jihadi ideology throughout the region and around the globe;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the EU’s and Member States' efforts to promote democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms in post-Arab Spring countries, and acknowledges the complexity of such a task; takes the view, however, that, despite a fifteen-year policy focus on Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries, renewed policy efforts and increased budgetary resources in the wake of the Arab Spring, the EU’s goals and policies have not yet been achieved given a plurality of unrealistic policies and policy expectations; stresses that policies should take into account the realities on the ground;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Expresses concern aboutNotes the fact that, in spite of its considerable political and budgetary investments and continuous political and economic outreach, the EU has not been able to gain realsubstantive political and economic leverage, and is no longert perceived as a game changer by the countries in the region and believes that Member States may be better placed to play an important role in this regard; points to the dissatisfaction felt by some governments, civil society and local NGOs at how the EU translates its vision into action on the ground; is concerned about the increasingly complex political situation in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions, and the emergence of newdeceptive political and economic regional players such as Russia and China, in addition to the competing narratives and financing from the Gulf countries and Iran;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Stresses concern that widespread state failure and prolonged regional conflict has resulted in Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, to take further advantage of this instability to expand its influence through partners and proxies via enhancing its military and proxy presence in the MENA region, stimulating weapon proliferation, increasing funding to various proxy groups while continuing to develop more capable ballistic missiles and intelligence capabilities, and undertaking malicious cyber activities resulting in a perpetuation of violence in the region, causing grievous harm to civilian populations;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes the view that for far too long the policy stance towards the Maghreb and Mashreq countries was marred by an approach which was based to too great an extent on the EU’s expectations and objectives, with little incentive for and ownership by beneficiary countries; regrets that the initial efforts after the Arab Spring to introduce stricter conditionality and delivery incentives in relation to beneficiary countries through the ‘more for more’ principle did not lead to greater leverage on the part of the EU in its ability to promote that did not fully take into account the realities on the ground; regrets that efforts to address the Arab Spring did not lead to real change in the areas of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms in most countries;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. AcknowledgNotes the initial efforts by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Commission, in cooperation and dialogue with the European Parliament, to substantially reform the EU policy framework for post- Arab Spring countries in the hope of attaining real democratic and political leveragereform in the Maghreb and Mashreq regions; points to the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy and its added value as regards the potential for achieving synergies in actions at EU level, building on political and economic dialogue and securing adequate support and implementation through the Financial Instruments for the external action of the EU; takes note of the 2015 revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy aimed at taking into account the changing scenarios in the region;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is concerned, however, that the complexity of managing the migration and refugee flows from and through the Maghreb and Mashreq regions, the nexus between security and migration, the challenge of terrorism and the legitimate concerns about the fragility of certain countries in the region, as well as the lack of a cohesive approach by the Member States, is encouraging the EU’s action towards the region to rely excessively on an ideology of stabilitywishful thinking; takes the view that when stability and security should become the predominant objectives, they lead to a shorter-term policy vision and deprive EU action directed atwhile also reaffirming human rights and fundamental freedoms of the required intensity; is convinced that stability and security can only be achieved through realistic longer-term objectives;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Recognises and appreciated the substantive and ongoing support to maintaining stability, security and political reform and deradicalisation efforts from key regional actors such as Morocco, Egypt and Jordan;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Recognises the continued efforts from NATO to support and advance security sector reform and stabilisation in the region with respect to its ongoing Operation Active Endeavor which among other things track and control suspect vessels with the goal to disrupt and thwart terrorist activity in the Mediterranean;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Recognises the increased efforts of NATO to prevent state collapse and encourage security sector reform via its Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) agreements with key states such as Tunisia and its ongoing Capacity Building Initiatives in MENA countries like Jordan;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes the view that, as the EU struggles to come up with a renewed vision for the management of migration and assistance to refugees, there isat reflects the objectives of the Member States, creating an increasinged risk that some countries in the region might use migration containment and their role therein to seek greater leverage in their political and policy dialogue with the EU and Member States; stresses, instead, the importance of a policy framework promoting democratic, political and socio- economic inclusion as mutually reinforcing factors; is convinced that, where the prerequisites for the negotiation of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements, conditional on democratic progress, are not yet in place, the EU should provide increased access to trade and investment, and assistance for reconstruction and infrastructure modernisation in strict correlation with progressive political and economic reforms;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points out the risk that the EU’s action for the region and the approach pursued by Member States through bilateral relations may not be in harmony, and that the EU’s capacity to make a political impact might be lost as a result; welcomStresses that EU action shall always be in harmony with Member States' actions; deplores, in this context, the proposal made by the President of the Commission to move beyond unanimity in Council decision-making in foreign affairs, as it could help the EU to speak with one voice in its foreign relations and have greater leverage;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls forNotes the potential for certain closer involvement of local civil society in the identification of needs in the partner countries; welcomes the efforts by the EEAS and the Commission to broaden civil society outreach and include the private sector, and encourages them to do more in this regard; takes the view that the EU should make access to available funds for smaller civil society organisations (CSOs) easier, streamline the application processes and focus on local CSOs after strict vetting procedures and recipient organisations fully underscore EU values and objectives; points out the perception among local civil society interlocutors of a primary focus by the EU on large, international CSOs; calls on the EU to invest more resources in promoting the capacity building of local CSOs and facilitating enhanced partnerships between them and large, international CSOs, with a view to increasing local ownership;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Is convinced that young people should be a pcrimarytical focus of the EU’s action towards the region, with an intersectional approach; calls for youth policies to be mainstreamed in all the Union’s policies in the MENA region; proposes that each EU Delegation set up youth advisory councils comprising young political, economic, media, cultural and CSO leaders with a view to providing input on policy priorities, the capacity of EU policies to make an impact in the country and introduce an additional element of accountability in relation to policy choices; calls on European political families to engage in enhanced exchanges with active local young people from the MENA countries, with a view to promoting their empowerment, training and capacity-building to enable them to stand in local elections and become new actors of change in their respective countriessupports increased youth policies in the MENA region;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16